Holness to make announcement on plastic, styrofoam ban

Prime Minister Andrew Holness says he will be making an announcement soon on measures to combat plastic and styrofoam pollution.

“I think we must now, after reflecting and celebrating our Independence, make a commitment to protect and preserve our environment. I intend, very shortly, just after the Independence celebration, to make some announcements regarding plastics and styrofoam,” he said.

“It cannot be that we use our Independence, our freedom as it were, to litter our environment and to light our dump on fire. It cannot be,” he added.

Mr. Holness was speaking at Governor-General Sir Patrick Allen’s Independence Reception and Exhibition on the lawns of King’s House on Thursday night.

Cabinet, in March 2017, set up a multi-stakeholder working group, chaired by Dr Parris Lyew-Ayee Jr., to investigate the use and disposal of plastic packaging materials in Jamaica and the impact on the environment.

This was in response to a motion tabled by government Senator Matthew Samuda which called for a ban on plastic bags below a 50-gallon capacity and on styrofoam unless it contains an enzyme to facilitate its biodegradability.

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